Where Would We Be?
by moonlite-n-roses
Summary: Jason is on his way back from Geneva, and he decides to extend his layover in Florida and surprise Kim. This leads to some deep thinking, and the question: Where would we be, if we’d found each other first? COMPLETE
1. Surprise

**Title: **Where Would We Be?

**Paring: **Jason/Kim

**Rating: **T

**Summary: **Jason is on his way back from Geneva, and he decided to extend his layover in Florida and surprise Kim. This leads to some deep thinking, and the question: Where would we be, if we'd found each other first?

* * *

"Kim!" One of her teammates called over to where she was training on the balance beam. "Somebody's here to see you, Coach said to take a break." 

Kim dismounted and ran over to her friend, "Who's here?" She asked curiously, noticing her teammate's blush.

"I don't know his name, but my god is he cute!" She squealed before heading over to the vault.

Kim rolled her eyes at how boy crazy her teammate was. She ran through the door of the gym and stopped dead, staring at the man who had his back turned to the door. She'd recognize that build from anywhere. "Jason!" She yelped, running over and jumping onto his back.

Jason let out an 'oomph' as he felt a weight settle onto his back. "Hey Pinky," he said turning his head to the side so he could see her. "Did you miss me?" He asked with a laugh as he let her slid off his back and turned around so he could get a proper hug.

"Of course!" She exclaimed, slapping him on the arm. Wow he looks good, she thought as she wrapped her arms around him. "What are you doing here?" She pulled away from him and looked up; getting a good look at the man she hadn't seen in over a year. He'd bulked up quite a bit since the last time she'd seen him, and he carried himself differently. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something changed since the last time she'd see Jason Lee Scott.

"I got bored," he said with a shrug. "My flight from Geneva landed in Miami, and I knew you were here training, so I put off my flight to see Gram and Gramps, and decided to surprise you. I missed you," he said with a smile, more than I realized, he added to himself. "You were lookin' good up there Pinky," he said nodding towards the gym.

Kim felt herself blush and shook her head, "No I didn't," she demurred. "I was having problems with my dismount, I keep miscalculating," she said with a sigh.

"You'll get it Kim, you always do," Jason replied, brushing a stray hair away from her cheek. He licked his lips and pulled his hand back. He looked away quickly, realizing what he'd done. Maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea, he thought to himself.

Kim didn't think she could flush any brighter when she felt Jason's hand brush her cheek. What on earth, she thought to herself. She looked away when she felt him pull his hand back. Get a hold of yourself Kim, she scolded herself firmly. Shaking her head, she looked back at him once she felt the warm leaving her cheeks, "You want to grab some dinner after I'm done practicing? Maybe hit the beach afterwards?"

Jason nodded, "Yeah, sure… we can catch up," he gave her a grin. "Where do you want to meet?" He asked running a hand over his head, a nervous habit he had yet to break.

"How about here, say at 6 o'clock? There's a really great café right down the street. We'll play it by ear after that, sound good?" Kim asked in return. I wonder what he's nervous about, she wondered watching him curiously.

"Yup, don't work too hard Pinky," Jason nodded, and gave her a hug. "See you at six."

As Jason headed out the double doors of the complex, Kim watched his retreating figure. "Wow," she breathed out slowly. She shook her head again, "Pull it together girl, back to work," she said before heading back into the gym, but she knew that her head was going to be anywhere but on training for the rest of the afternoon, she was just glad practice was almost over, she couldn't afford to be anything less than 100 focused.

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me," Jason laughed heartily as Kim relayed the story to him. "Bulk and Skull joined the Police Academy?" He queried raising an eyebrow. "You're pulling one over on me, aren't you," he asked suspiciously. 

"No! I swear, they joined the Junior Police Patrol, they passed too," she giggled. "Ya know, they've really started grow up, err… a little bit," she quickly amended. "You really should have been there," she said as she started to relate the story of the day Bulk and Skull graduated.

Jason shook his head, "Leave it to those too," he said as he sipped his soda. He didn't mind her dominating the conversation, filling him in on everything that had happened in Angel Grove since he'd left for the Peace Conference with Trini and Zack. He loved watching her talk, loved to see how she would animate the conversation with gestures and expressions. He could watch her talk all night.

"So," Kim cocked her head to the side, "What's been going on in Geneva, and why exactly are you here, rather than there, and don't give me that 'I was bored' crap," she asked, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms across her chest, giving him a 'no excuses' expression. She really was curious to know why Jason was back in the states. It felt good to see him again, and so far, this evening spent together was one of the best nights she'd had since arriving here.

"Geneva was great. We've been doing a lot of good things, and learning a lot. Zack's decided that he's head over heels in love with Trini…"

"What?!?!?" Kim exclaimed, cutting him off and earning her a few glares from the nearby patrons. "I mean, Trini didn't say anything to me," Kim pouted at the thought of being left out of something like that.

Jason couldn't help but laugh, she was adorable when she pouted; she always had been. "Trini hasn't said nothing because she's too busy persuading Zack that he's not in love with her. I don't think it's going to work though, when I left, she was beginning to succumb to his charms."

Kim shook her head, "Leave it to Zack, but do you think its love?" She asked him, wanting to know his thoughts on the subject.

"I think so, he's matured a lot over there Kim, I mean he's still Zack, don't get me wrong," Jason added quickly, "but he's grown up. I think he really does have it bad for her."

Kim smiled, "Well then, I hope he catches her," she laughed softly. "So, why did you come home?"

Jason shrugged, "You know me, I'm all about action; I always have been. Even with as much good as we were doing there, I hated not being able to do something hands on, diplomat, I definitely am not," he said firmly, a smile playing on his lips.

Kim laughed, "I could never see you as a diplomat, you've got way too much of a temper for that," she teased. He gave her a look of mock-shock and then smiled warmly, and she felt something flare inside her, something that had been dormant for quite some time. In fact, it had been dormant ever since she laid eyes on Tommy. She felt her cheeks heating up and she looked down at the table quickly.

Jason shrugged, unaware of her inner thoughts, "When you're right, you're right," he said with a laugh and then looked at his watch. "Holy sh…" he trailed off. "It's almost 10 Kim, we've been sitting here for almost four hours," he said in awe of how quickly time had passed as they caught up.

"Oh no, it's too late to go to the beach now," Kim pouted. "How much longer are you going to be here Jase? I hope you aren't leaving soon," she said softly, toying with the stem of her water glass.

Jason smiled, "I'm going to be here till the end of the week, then I have to fly up to see the grandparents, so don't worry, we can go to the beach tomorrow." Now to make sure I'm going to be here, I'd better extend my hotel stay and fix my plane ticket, he thought to himself as he picked up the check.

"Jase let me…"

"Nope, it's all on me Pinky," Jase cut Kimberly off before she could offer anything towards the bill. "My treat," he said flashing a smile her way.

Kim looked down so Jason wouldn't see her blushing again, "If you insist," she said watching him hand over the bill to their waiter.

As they walked out of the café she looked over at Jason and smiled, "So, are you going to walk me home?" She asked with a laugh, turning around so she could face him as they left.

"Yes, what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't?" He responded with a laugh of his own. "Kim, you're going too…" with lightening fast reflexes, he caught Kim as she tripped on a crack in the sidewalk. "Trip and fall on your ass," he finished, holding her in his arms. He looked down at her, their eyes locking, their faces inches apart. Can't do this, he thought to himself and quickly righted her, placing her gently back on her feet. "Klutz," he said trying to shift the mood back, away from where it'd been mere moments ago.

Kim turned around, fanning her face quickly. I thought he was going to kiss me, my god, I think I wanted him to kiss me, her mind was rambling a mile a minute at all the scenarios going through her head. I love Tommy, I've always loved Tommy. Knock it off Hart, she scolded herself firmly, you just miss Tommy. She looked back at Jason and gave him a smile, "I'm not a klutz, the sidewalk is out to get me," she replied lightheartedly and linked her arm with his. "Now, let's get going, I have to be inside by eleven."

* * *

**Author's Note: **I hope you all enjoy this; it plagued my brain for awhile. The story is loosely based on the song 'Where Would We Be?' by Good Charlotte. I'm estimating one more part to this story, maybe two if I'm stretching it. Let me know what you guys think please, I love hearing from you all. 


	2. I'll Wait

**Author's Note: **Finally, after a hellish time in RL, things have settled down enough for me to finish this story. I hope you all enjoy, especially the crusaders, you all know who you are. This one has always been for you guys…

It had been nearly a week of hit and misses, but finally Kim and Jason had managed to make it to the beach. This was their last chance, Jason's flight up north left tomorrow morning. They had spent the entire day here on the beach, lounging and having fun and were now watching the sun dip into the water.

Jason smiled at the content look on Kim's face, she was positively radiant in the light of the setting sun, he thought to himself, then mentally berated himself for spinning prose in his head. Kim turned to face him and giggled at the look on his face. Jason shook his head and then looked away from her and sighed, the week they'd spent together had stirred a lot of feelings he thought had long faded since he'd left.

"Why the sigh Jason?" Kim asked softly, wondering what was going on inside his head, wondering if it was anything like what was going on inside her own. She had a boyfriend, she was happy with him; she shouldn't be thinking these things, not anymore.

"I'm alright, just feelin' a bit down, about leaving," he said quietly, looking out over the water, watching it lap against the sand not far from where they were sitting. "I'm gonna miss you Kim," he said so quietly, Kim had to strain to hear his words.

Kim sighed, letting his words sink in. She was going to miss him too, more than she cared to admit. She reached across the sand and slid her fingers through his and gave his hand a soft squeeze. She was silent for quite sometime before whispering softly, "Do you think…" she paused, looking over at him, "if only love had found us first, our lives would be different somehow?"

Jason stared at her dumbfounded, he'd wondered how it was possible she could be expression the exact thoughts that were going through his head at that very moment. It was impossible, except that it wasn't, because she'd just done it. "I…" he tried to respond, but she'd taken him so off guard. 

"Where would we be now," Kim said shifting on the blanket so she was face him, her hand still entwined with his. "If we'd found each other first, if Tommy hadn't moved to Angel Grove…" 

"Kim stop," Jason said hoarsely. "Please…" He didn't know if he could hear this right now, he'd spent too long convincing himself that her place was with Tommy. He'd locked his feelings for her up tight, in the tiny black box of his heart, too far deep for him to think about, but in once simple question, she'd broken through and released them.

"Jason…" she was chewing on her lip, a million different emotions running through her head. She'd been head over heels for him every since middle school, until Tommy walked into their lives and thrown her heart for a loop. She'd pushed those feelings aside, dismissed them for so long, but things were different now, and she didn't want to push them aside any longer, but she didn't know what to do, she loved Tommy, but now... she looked down at the blanket, unsure about everything. 

Jason stood up, pulling her to her feet as well, their bodies a scant few inches apart. He caressed her cheek and watched her head lull into his open palm, her eyes fluttering closed and almost all resistance in his heart melted…almost all except one large barrier. "You love him Kim," he whispered softly.

Kim's eyes opened and meet his gaze, brown eyes to brown eyes, "I do, but it's different," she whispered licking her suddenly dry lips. "I don't know how," she finally admitted, not only to him, but to herself as well.

Jason leaned down and brushed his lips against her soft cheek, and buried his head into her neck when he felt her arms wrap around his waist. She buried her head into his chest and he held on tighter when he felt her body shaking, and her tears beginning to soak through his shirt. He closed his eyes tightly, willing himself not to do what he wanted, which was kiss her passionately and promise her everything was going to be alright, he couldn't and wouldn't do that, not yet anyway. "Hey…" he whispered softly, running his hand gently through her hair. "Kimmie… look at me," he said gently pulling her away from his chest and tilting her head up so she'd look at him.

"What?" She asked shakily, trying in vain to stop her tears, everything was a mess inside her now. She didn't know what to do, what to say, what to feel.

"I'll wait for you," Jason said softly, his thumb gently wiping away the tears on left cheek. "I'll wait as long as you want." He brushed her damp hair away from her face.

"Jase…" Kim bit her lip again, to keep from breaking down into tears once more, "I…" she just leaned into his embrace again, her actions speaking more than words could at the moment.

Jason just held her tightly, rubbing her back in soothing circles. "It'll be alright Kim, no matter what," he said watching the last of the sun setting into the water, and he knew, deep down in his heart, whatever the outcome, everything would be alright.

**Author's Note2: **This is the end, of this story that is. There may or may not be a sequel to this story, it depends. Anways, I hope you enjoy. Please leave a review, I love hearing what you all think.


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